Railroad signal and gate



M. J. REYNOLDS RAILROAD SIGNAL AND GATE Dec, 9,

Filed April 7, 192 4 3 Sheets-Sheet l m W M S n W 0 mm 3 a rm E M J 4 y RNN M m 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Uec. 9, 1924- M. J. REYNOLDS RAILROAD SIGNAL AND GATE Filed April '7 1924 W/7/1/E65E5 M. J. REYNOLDS RAILROAD SIGNAL AND GATE Q. w x @N WWI E5555 Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

UNI-TED, STATES MARY JANE REYNOLDS, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

RAILROAD SIGNAL AND GATE.

Application filed April 7,

oLDs, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri,liave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad Signals and Gates, of which the following is a specification. This invention appertains to railroadfappliances, and the primary object of the. invention is to rovide a combined railroad gate and signaFfor railroad crossings, which will be automatically operated by a train approaching the said crossing.

-Another prime object of the invention is the provision of novel means for constructing the gate, so that the same can be readily seen by persons approaching the railroad, whereby when the gate is in its operative position, the same will function as a signal or warning that a train is approaching.

A further object of-the invention is to provide novel means for automatically operatin the gate, said means including electrica 1y operated throw levers, and novel means for closin the circuit to the electri cally operated t row levers when a train approaches the crossing,

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved railroad gate signal of the above character, which will be durable and efiicient in use, one that will besimple and easy to manufacture and one which can be incorporated with a railroad crossing at small cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the. accompanying drawings, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a railroad crossing showing the combined gates and railroad signal incorporated therewith,

' Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an enlarged view similar to Figure 2 showing the gates in theiropera tive position,

Figure 4; is a horizontal section taken on the line 4 -45 of Figure 3 illustrating. the levers for operatin the gate,

Figure 5 is a d lagrammatic view illustrating the circuits for controlling the combined gate and signal, and

PATENT OFFICE,

1924. Serial No. 7Q4,824.

Figure 6 is an enlarged section taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 5 illustrating the means of connecting the operating or throw levers together.

Referring to the drawings in: detail, wherein similar. reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout. the

several views, the letter A generally indicates a railroad track and B a road crossing, and C thenovel combined gates and signals for the crossing; The track A is of the usual construction and includes the rails 10 and 11 and the supporting ties 12. In accordance with this invention the track A is divided into a block by insulating the tracks 10 and 11 as at 13 on each side of the crosslngpB, he crossing B includes a chamber 15 formed under the tracks and this chamber is covered by a suitable top 16 formed of any desired material which forms the road-way. The chamber 15 can be formed of concrete or any other desired material. a

The improved combined railroad gate and signal comprises a pair 0t companion portions or gates 17 and 18 arranged on each side of the roadway adjacent to the track A and each portion 17 and 18. includes a hollow post or casing 19 the top of which is provided with an annular guide flange structure. The. casing 19 slidably supports a standard 21 the upper end of which has pivotally connected thereto as at 22 a plurality of plates 'or' arms 23. These arms 23 are connected together at their terminals by flexible strips 24. Now it can be seen that when a standard 21 is brought down into the casing that the arms 23 hearing against the annular guide flange 20 will be raised, so as topermit the lower ends of the arms to slide into the casing or hollow post. When the standard 21 is raised the arms 23 will automatically drop into an operative position as,is clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. The gate portions 17 and 18 are so arranged thatwhen the gate portions are in their operative position as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings the same will overlap one another so as to iorm a complete barrier across the roadway and thus prevent the driving of vehicles across the tracks. Owing to the shape of the gate portions the same also act as a visual signal for indicating to persons that a train is approaching the crossing.

The lower ends of the standards 21 have pivotally connected thereto, as at 25, the outer ends of the operating throw levers 26, which are pivotally secured at a point intermediate their ends as at 27 on suitable supporting brackets 28 which are arranged within the chamber 15. The inner ends of the throw levers 26 are pivotally connected togetherby suitable pivot pins 29 the terminals of which are mounted in guide ways 30 the crossing I have provided solenoids 32' and33 which have their cores opcratively connected as at 34 to the operating or throw.

levers 26. It can be seen that when the solenoids 32 and 33 are energized that the outer ends of the levers 26 will be raised which will slide the standards 21 upwards allowing'the arms 23 to unfold. Thus the gate is in its open'position when the standards are raised, as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. As soon asthe solenoidsare deenergized the spring 32' will force the inner ends of the levers 26 upwards and thus pull .down on the standards 21, which will move the arms 23 to their folded position.

I In order to energize the solenoids 32 and 33 I provide track relays 35 and these relays are located ad'acent to the ends of-the block.

/ As shown eac track relay 35 is connected with the rails 10 and 11 by wires 36 and 37 and as shown the wire 37 has interposed therein a track battery 38. When a train drives into the block, it is obvious that the circuitf through the relays 35 will be completed and thus energize the relays which will attract the switch'levers 40 which form the armatures for the relagnb When the.

switch levers 40 are attracts the relays .the same engage the switch points for com- 43 which lead to the solenoids. The wire 42 pleting the circuits to the solenoids 33. lhe solenoid circuits include feed wires 42 and has interposed therein a suitable battery 44 while the wire 43 has interposed therein the w switch lever 40 and contact points 41.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided an improved automatically operated railway gate which will be moved to itsoperative position when the train approaches the crossing and which will be moved to its inoperative position when the train leaves the crossing.

Changes in detail may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but:

What I claim as new is:

1. In a combined railroad gate and signal,

a pair of gate portions, each including a hollow post,-a standard slidably mounted in the arms pivotally secured to the upper ends of the standards.

2. In an automatically operated railroad gate and signal, a pair of gate: portions adapted to be arranged on each side of a roadway and adjacent to the railway tracks, each including a hollow post, an annular guide formed on the upper end of each post, a standard slidably mounted ineach post, a plurality of arms pivotally secured to the upper end of each standard, means for flexibly connecting the outer terminals of the arms together, and means for raising and lowering the standards.

post, and a plurality of flexibly connected 3. In a railroad gate, a pair of gate portions, each including a hollow post having an annularguide formed on its upper end, a standard slidably mounted within the post arranged to extend through the annular guide, arms pivotally secured to the upper end of the standard arranged to engage sai means for flexibly of the arms toget 4. In an automatically operated gate for railway crossings, apair of companion gate portions, each includin a hollow post having an annular guide ange formed on the upper end thereof, a standard slidably mounted within each post, a plurality of arms pivoted to the upper ends of the standards arranged to'engage the-annular guides when the standards are lowered, means for flexibly connecting the arms together, a pair of operating levers, means for pivotally securing the levers at a point intermediate their ends, means for pivotally connecting the other end of the levers together, means for pivotally connecting the outer ends of the levers to the standards, and means for operating the levers.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARY JANE REYNOLDS.

annular-guide when the standard is lowered,

connecting the outer ends er, and means for synchro' 'nously operating the standards. 

